Brady Tkachuk Leaves Game vs. Hurricanes After Concerning Incident

The Ottawa Senators have suffered a potential major loss as Brady Tkachuk did not return for the start of the team's final regular-season game in the third period.

Tkachuk has not appeared since the second period, with it unknown at the time the reason for his exit.

Tonight's game vs the Carolina Hurricanes was Tkachuk's first game back, returning from an upper-body injury that kept him out since March 30th.

Earlier in the game, Tkachuk caught a high stick from Carolina's Mark Jankowski, although he appeared to not be in discomfort at the time.

Tkachuk, the Ottawa Senators captain and a key asset, was having this final game as getting him back into form before the provincial 'Battle of Ontario' vs Toronto, his status now unknown.

The Ottawa Senators have announced that Brady Tkachuk will not return to the game for precautionary reasons.

Although unconfirmed, it likely signals the team is not risking potential injury with Tkachuk, and whether dealing with soreness or a pre-planned decision by the team, the Senators have rested their captain for the team's final period.

The Senators are relying on being at full health to beat a top-heavy Leafs roster. Ottawa has already been afforded good news with Tkachuk's return, as well as the return of fellow top players Jake Sanderson & Claude Giroux.

Ottawa has a perfect 3-0-0 record this season against Toronto, and are looking to continue their dominance against the Leafs.

The first game of the Stanley Cup first-round series between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Ottawa Senators is Sunday, March 20th at 7:30p.m. EST at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto.